Wireless communication systems typically include wireless access nodes, such as base stations, which provide wireless access to communication services for user devices over wireless links. A typical wireless communication system includes many wireless access nodes to provide wireless access across a geographic region, with individual wireless coverage areas associated with each wireless access node. The wireless access nodes exchange user communications and overhead communications between wireless user devices and a core network of the wireless communication system.
Many different wireless carriers, such as cellular service companies, can operate wireless communication networks, and may allow wireless communication devices from one carrier to operate on another carrier. This process is typically referred to as roaming, and a wireless communication device intended for use on a first carrier network can roam to a second carrier network and still receive access to communication services through the second carrier network. Many times, the wireless coverage areas of both roaming and home carrier networks are located within the same geographic area. Wireless communication devices typically perform a network scan process to determine availability of wireless access from different wireless communication networks, as provided by the different wireless carriers.